Seed and grain cleaning machine.



A. POWERS.

SEED AND GRAIN CLEANING MAGHINEQ' I APPLICATION FILED JAN.31. 1905.

' Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v entor I Witns Q B tterness No. 814,918:- J BATE'NTED MAR,13,1906.T

F.A.JPOWBR S.

' SEED AND GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED JARZBI, 1905.

' v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

Witnese l nventor:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

, .FRANOIS' A. POWERS, or PARMA, IDAHO, Assrenon OF ONE-HALF fro FRANKGAHLEY, or PARMA, IDAHO.

SEED AND GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 31,1905.Serial No. 243,621.

Patented March 13, 1906. i

Idaho, have invented a new and useful Seed and Grain Cleaning Machine,of which the is a'longitudina following is a specification.

This invention relates to cleaning and separating machines for grain andseeds; and it has among its objects to simplify and improve theconstruction and operation of this class of devices.

' Another object of the invention is to facilitate the adjustment ofthedirection and the intensity of the blast while the machine is eitherstationary or in operation.

Another object of the invention is to improve the means for generatingand directing the blast. m

Still another object is to provide a convenient detachable receptaclefor small seeds and other heavy substances separated from grain.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as'thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts,which will be hereinafter fully described, and partic ularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of embodiment of the invention, it being, how-' ever, understoodthat no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural detailstherein exhibited, but that the right is reserved to any changes,alterations, and modifications to which recourse may be had within'thescope of the invention and without departing from the spirit orsacrificing the efiiciency of the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructedin'accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 verticalsectional view of the same.

' "Corresponding parts in both figures are indicated throughout by likecharacters of reference.

' The inventionhas in the accompanying drawings been shown applied to aWellknowntype'of grain-separator, 1 designating from which a belt orband 5 leads overa pulley 6 upon the fan-shaft 7. '8 is theshaking-shoe, which is supported atone end by springs, one of which isshown at 9. The other end of the shoe is supported uponan intermediatecrank portion 10 of a shaft 11, supported for'oscillation in the sidesof the ame and provided at one end with a crank 12, having a pluralityof perforations 13 for adjustable connection with one end of a pitman14, the other end of which is 'journaled upon a wrist-pin 15,projectingfrom a disk 16 upon the crank-shaft. Motion is thustransmitted from the latter to the shakingshoe, the extent of the throwof the latter b.e-

is being operated upon, the coarse material,

such as bits of straw andthe like, which is separated by said screen,being discharged into a transversely-disposed spout 21, which isinclined in the direction of one of the sides of the frame orcasing-through which its discharge end projects in the usual manner.(Not shown.) The shoe also carries a separating-screen 22 for thepurpose of separating from the material that is being operated upon fineheavy particles such as small seeds, sand, and the likethe same droppingupon the bottom 23, which discharges into a drawer or receptacle 24,whichis supported detachably in the'recess 25 between thefancasing 26and the discharge-spout 27 of the same. Said drawer or receptacle isprovided at its outer end with a handle 28, enabling it to be readilyremoved and emptied.

The fan carried by the shaft 7 is of ordinary construction, beingcomposed of radiating arms 29, carrying blades or wings 30.

The fan-casing, however, instead of being of the usualcircular ordrum-shaped form is made, spiral, the dischargedlue 27 being made toproject from the rear portion of the casing,

which is nearest the fan-shaft, the distance of the perimeter of thefancasing increasing gradually from the point of connection with thefront wallof the flue 27. The lower portion of the fan-casingcommunicates with a grain'or seed receptacle 31. The dischargeflue iscomposed of thefront wall 32, the side members 33, and the back wall orbreast 34, the lower end of which is pivoted upon a shaft or pin 35between the side members 33. The discharge-flue is curved to approximateS shape, and the breast 34, which is suitably curved to correspond withthe general outline of the flue, is preferably composed of two separatemembers 35 and 36, connected by means of a lining 37 of sheet metal orother flexible material. The sides of the frame or casing are extendedto form brackets 38, connected by a cross-piece 39, through whichoperates a hand-screw 40, the inner end of which is swiveled in theupper member 36 of the breast of the flue. It will be readily seen hoWby manipulating the said hand-screw the breast of the flue may beadjusted to various positions, one of which is indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 2.

The front wall 32 of the flue 27 has an opening 41 for the passageof'the separatingscreen 22, over which the material operated upon passesinto the flue. It is to be understood that a so-called blank screen orsolid plate of sheet metal or other material may be substituted for theopen screen 22.

The operation and advantages of this device will bereadily understoodfrom the foregoing description, taken in connection with the'drawingshereto annexed, by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. Inorder to operateprofitably upon various kinds and grades of grains andseeds, it is of the utmost importance to be able to regulate the blastso asto concentrate or diffuse the same, as may be required bycircumstances. Where a cylindrical fan-casing is employed a powerfulblast may be generated; but the air-current usually'leaves thefan-casing with a velocity and in a state of concentration which hindersthe regulation thereof, except by conducting it through devious andcircuitous courses, which naturally increase the complexity and expenseof the machine and render it liable to get out of order. With a spiralfan-casing as herein employed a blast of no less intensity may begeneratedthat is, an equal or even a greater volume of air may be set inmotionthanwith the employment of a cylindrical fan-case of equaldimensions; but the air-current leaves'the casing in a more diffusedstate. This is especially important when, as in the present invention, agrain-receptacle is disposed beneath the open lower portion of thefan-casing. The more concentrated or highly-condensed air-current, whichis driven before the blades of the fan, will rise nearly adjacent to thefront wall 32 of the dischargespout, through the slot 41 of which thegrain is discharged into said condensed or concentrated aircurrent.Through this current the grain slowly floats or'descends, graduallypassing into the more diffused air-current, which ascends adjacent tothe rear wall or breast of the dischargespout and which, while stilleffective to blow out chaff and the like, offers little resistance tothe passage of the grain into the receptacle 31. Now by the employmentof a movable breast in the discharge-flue the outlet for the air-currentmay be constricted, so as to increase its intensity, according to thematerial that is being operated upon, by simply moving the said breastin a forward direction. The outlet being thus constricted, heavy grainmay be successfully operated upon, thegrain passing over the screen 22into the flue and passing through the ascending air-current to thereceptacle 31, while the refuse is blown out through the spout. Whensmall seeds or like grain is being operated upon, the breast is moved ina rearward direction, thus increasing the size of the outlet, andconsequently lessening the intensity of the blast.

It is preferred that the pivotal point of the breast 34 of thedischarge-spout be disposed at or below the terminal of theeccentricportion of the fan-casing. The lower portion of the fan-casingis open, as shown at 46, in order to provide for the passage of theclean grain and seed into the receptacle below. In the drawings the sidemembers of the fancasing are shouldered or offset, as shown at 47, toprovide for the support of the pivotal pin 35, whereby the breast 34 issupported below the eccentric-portion of the fan-casing, thus forming awide outlet for the air-current and to some extent removing the uppersurface of the breast beyond the influence of said air-current, so thatthe clean grain and seed may slide freely into the receptacleundisturbed by such current.

This device, as will be seen, is thoroughly simple and may be easily andinexpensively constructed and operated, while at the same time it issuccessful and effective in operation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a machineof the class described, a spiral fan-casing, and a discharge-spout forthe same, said spout including a breast supported pivotally at its lowerend.

2. In a machine of the class described, a spiral fan-casing, and adischarge-spout for the same, said spout including a breast supportedpivotally at its inner end between the sides of the spout; and means foradjusting the outer end of said breast to regulate the outlet of thespout.

3. In a machine of the class described, a spiral fan-casing having adischarge-spout the cross-sectional area of which at its receiv Intestirnony that I claim the foregoing as ing end is greater than theeccentric portion my own I have hereto afiixed my signature of thefan-casing with which it is connected in the presence of two witnesses.

said spout including a movable portion or r v -FRANCIS A. POWERS. 5breast which is pivotally supported below Witnesses: r

the terminal of the eccentric portion of the HARLAND 'BATEs fan-casing.E. H. BATES.

